Melbourne, Florida, May 17-21, 2021

(Thanks to Hart Rufe for help with identification of birds.)

Viera Wetlands

The Viera Wetlands, also known as the Ritch Grissom Memorial Wetlands, is in Viera, Florida, just west of Melbourne.

Great Blue Heron

Red-winged Blackbird

Limpkin

Anhinga

Rocket launch - May 18

A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasts off with the U.S. military's SBIRS GEO 5 satellite (infrared missile detection satellite for U.S. Space Force) - as seen from 22 miles south, at the Patrick AFB beach.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Just north of the Kennedy Space Center

Great Southern White butterfly

Turkey Vulture

Boat-tailed Grackle

Common Gallinule

Trunk of a tree along the wildlife drive - photo by Karen Adams

Karen & Jim (on their 36th anniversary) - photo by Cynthia Adams

Playalinda Beach

East of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

The beach, looking north

Black Vulture, on top of a toilet facility near the beach

Shepard Park

Park and beach near the Ron Jon Surf Shop, in Cocoa Beach

Northern Curly-tailed Lizard

Brevard Zoo Linear Park Trail

Adjacent to the Brevard Zoo

Female Mottled Duck

Eastern Ratsnake - photo by Cynthia Adams

Gopher Tortoise - photo by Cynthia Adams

Helen's belated birthday

At Helen's house

Bill, John, Helen, and Karen - photo by Cynthia Adams